Chicago businessman Howard Lapin and his wife, Julie, an artist, commissioned San Diego architectural designer Wallace E. Cunningham to create this seaside haven (featured in AD in 2010) in La Jolla, California. The postmodernist glass-and-concrete home has a striking, copper-clad sloped roof, and the curved walls and ceilings follow the roofline.

Dubbed the Ray House—a nod to a floor plan whose spaces radiate off a central courtyard—the residence features floor-to-ceiling glazing, allowing sunlight in and spectacular views out to sea. The kitchen, living and dining rooms, and master suite are each situated along the house’s oceanfront façade, while a study, office, and a two-car garage occupy additional wings.